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B. E. CARMICHAEL.

PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. l,

19 l 9. A Patented Dee. 16, 1919.

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IOBERTAE. CABMICHAEL, GFDAMON; TEXAS; VASSIffrlfgol; OE ONE7HAL` TO` GEORGE- HAMMANQ OFHOUSTON, TEXAS,

BUMP.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Applicatqn liledjFebruary 1,1919. Serial No. 274,491.

To all. t may Concern:

Beit.y known that I, ROBERT GAR- Mrognn, a citizengofthe United States, residingI atDamon, Brazoriacounty, Texas, have invented f a, certain newv and' usefuly Improvement in Pumps, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvement in pumps for use in deep wells and has special reference to means for preventing the entrance of sand 'between the Working barrel and the plunger.

In deep well pumping, especially in the use of pumps in oil Wells, a large amount of sand is often encountered and diiiculty is experienced in preventing wear about the Working parts of a pump,A due to the entrance of sand about the same.

The object of my invention is to provide resilient metallic rings in the outer surface of the plunger which will act to close the space between the plunger and the working barrel in such manner that little, if any, sand will ind entrance thereto and thus .1ncrease materially the period during which vthe plunger will maintain a tight t in the Working barrel Without arepairing of the parts.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals are applied to like parts in both the views, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section illustrating a pump plunger provided With my improvement. Fig. 2 is' a transverse section of the pump shown in Fig. 1, taken on the plane indicated by the line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

The figures show the pump installed in an outer Well casing 1. The Working barrel 2 is spaced centrally Within the casing and is provided at its lower end with a coupling 10, by which it may be secured to an anchoring means not shown. Within the working barrel is the hollow sucker rod 3, Wh1ch is shown in threaded engagement with the upper end of the plunger 4. The plunger 4 is provided at its lower end with an ordinary valve cage 5, having a lower seat 6 for the ball valve 7. The said ball valve is prevented from movement upwardly out of the cage by means of a cross bar 8 arranged diametrically across the valve chamber. At the lower end of the working barrel is located the usual'V foot valve chamber 9 provided With an upwardly opening ball valve ll. Y

As will be apparent vfrom the drawing, when this pump is used inhandling fluid mixed with sand, thesand fwill work up around the, lower end of the plunger and find entrance between the plunger and the working barrel. By so doing the sand will cause excessive wear between the plunger and the working barrel, with the result that the tight fit necessary between the two parts, to cause the proper suction, will be destroyed and the plunger will havel to be removed and repaired. This is especially the case where ordinary cups of canvas or leather are used to maintain a tight lit between the plunger and the working barrel. I have, however, invented a resilient ring 12 which is adapted to fit within annular recesses 13 in the two ends of the plunger and by their resiliency maintain so close a contact with the side of the working barrel that practically no sand will lind entrance thereto. I have found that two -of these rings at each end of the plunger will serve the purpose satisfactorily. These resilient rings are preferably made of hardened steel, but it is obvious that they may be made of any similar substance Whether metal or otherwise, which will act to spring outwardly against the sides of the Working barrel and maintain the close fit necessary. in the pumping operation.

As shown especially in Fig. 2, the resilient rings 12 are made slightly thinner on one side than on the other and the ring is split on the thinner side, as shown at 14. This structure of ring is arranged so that the broader side of the ring will completely fill the space between the inner face of the l slot in which it is mounted and the -inner surface of the working barrel. On the opposite side where the ring is somewhat thinner the resiliency of the ring will force the same outwardly so as to close the space between the plunger and the working barrel in an obvious manner. When in this position the ends of the ring should contact with each other so that no appreciable amount of grit or sand could pass through the opening between the ends. The position of the two rings at each end of the plunger is such that the thick side of one ring will come opposite the thinner side of the ring adjacent. This Will serve to stagger the opening which might be appreciable as the Wear on the ring becomes noticeable and sand finding entrance past the opening on one ring would not easily work past the opening between the ends of the split ring next adjacent thereto.

It will be apparent that this construction is very similar to constructions used in pistons of engines, but so far as I ain aware it has never been used in reciprocating pumps Where the use of the ring serves to prevent Wear by sand. I do not claim broadly to be the originator of rings such as here disclosed for use broadly in pistons, but I believe that I am the first to use this or any similar structure for the purpose disclosed herein.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

Means for preventing the entrance of sand between the plunger and Working barrel of pumps, comprising resilient metallic rings seated in grooves at both ends of said plunger, said rings being split and thinner on one side than on the other and adapted thereby to be pressed into resilient contact with the inner surface of the working barrel and maintain a closeton all sides.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature this the 27 day of January, 1919.

ROBERT E. GARMICHA EL' 

